An Assessment of French Language Teaching in Koranic Schools in Katsina State: Opportunities and Constraints

Koranic schools in northern Nigeria serve millions of learners who largely fall outside conventional French language instruction pathways, yet their potential as sites for supplementary or integrated French language education remains unexplored in the research literature. This study assesses the opportunities and constraints associated with introducing French language instruction in Koranic schools in Katsina State, drawing on the perspectives of school proprietors, community leaders, parents, and education officials. A qualitative research design was employed, with semi-structured interviews conducted with 40 Koranic school proprietors and 22 community stakeholders across Katsina, Dutsinma, and Daura local government areas. Supplementary questionnaire data were collected from 18 State Universal Basic Education Board officials familiar with Koranic school integration programmes. Results reveal cautious but not uniformly negative attitudes among Koranic school proprietors toward French language inclusion, with instrumental ECOWAS mobility rationale generating the most positive responses. Key constraints include curriculum overload, absence of qualified French teachers willing to work in Koranic school settings, resource limitations, and community perceptions of French as culturally foreign. The study identifies a subset of Islamiyya schools with demonstrated openness to integrated academic programming as strategic entry points for pilot French language supplementation. Recommendations include development of a Hausa-French bilingual introductory French module designed for the Koranic school pedagogical context and engagement of Islamic scholars as advocates for French as an ECOWAS communication language. Keywords: Koranic schools, French language, Katsina State, Islamic education, language integration